Computer Science

2017-2018 STUDENTS’ INFORMATION HANDBOOK NATIONAL DIPLOMA (ND)

GOAL AND OBJECTIVES

The program is designed to produce computer technicians to install, maintain and repair computer hardware and peripherals. More specifically, diplomats at the end of the program should be able to:

1. Carryout routine maintenance and repair of computers;

2. Design and map out layout for computers;

3. Install, set up, and operate computers;

4. Prepare simple bill of quantities and specification for computers;

5. Select and use appropraite instruments to carry out simple tests and measurements on all subsystems in a computer and its peripherals.

1.0 GENERAL ENTRY REQUIREMENT

The entry requirements into National Diploma in Computer Engineering Technology are as follows:

a. Five credit level passes at SSCE or equivalent at not more than two sittings. The five subjects must include Mathematics, Physics and any two other science subjects. At least a credit pass in English Language is required.

b. A pass in Engineering trade and credit passes in Mathematics and Physics and one other subject in the National Technical Certificate. Also a credit pass in English Language in the NTCE is mandatory.

c. Four credit passes in an NBTE recognized Pre-ND course offered in a Polytechnic or similar post secondary technical institution. The credit passes must include Mathematics, Physics, and any two science subjects. Candidates must in addition obtain at least a credit pass in English Language.

2.0 CURRICULUM

The curriculum of all ND programme consists of four main components:

1. General Studies/Education

2. Foundation courses

3. Professional courses

4. Students Industrial work experience scheme (SIWES).

2.1 The General Studies/Education Component shall include course in:

i. Arts and Humanities – English Language, Communication. These are compulsory.

ii. Social Studies – Citizenship (the Nigerian Constitution), Economics, Engineering in society, Industrial Management, Political Science, Sociology, Philosophy, Geography, and Entrepreneurship studies. The courses in citizenship education, entrepreneurship are compulsory.

General education/studies components shall account for not more than 15% of the total contact hours for the programme.

2.2 Foundation Courses include courses in Mathematics, pure science, Technical Drawing, Descriptive Geometry and Statistics etc. The number of hour will vary with the programme and may account for about 25-35% of the total contact hours.

2.3 Professional Courses are courses, which give the study the theory, and practical skills he needs to practice his field of specification at the technician/technologist level. These may account for between 60-70% of the contact hours depending on the programme.

2.4 SIWES (Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme) shall be taken during the long vacation following the end of the second semester of the first year.

GUIDELINES ON SIWES PROGRAMME

For the smooth operation of the SIWES the following guidelines shall apply:

A. Responsibility for Placement of Student

1. Institution offering the ND programme shall arrange to place the students in the industry. By April 30 of each year, six copies of the master list showing where each student has been placed shall be submitted to the Executive Secretary, NBTE which shall, in turn authenticate the list and forward it to the Industrial Training Fund, Jos.

2. The placement officer should discuss and agree with industry on the following:

i. A task inventory of what the students should be expected to experience during the period of attachment. It may be wise to adopt the one already approved for each field.

ii. The industry-based supervisor of the students during the period likewise the institution based supervisor.

iii. The evaluation of the students during the period. It should be noted that the final grading of the student during the period of attachment should be weighted on the evaluation by his Industry-based supervisor.

B. Evaluation of Students during SIWES

In the evaluation of the student, cognizance should be taken of the following items:

a. Punctuality

b. Attendance

c. General attitude to work

d. Respect for authority

e. Interest in the field/technical area

f. Technical competence as a potential technician in his field.

C. Grading of SIWES

To ensure uniformity of grading scale, the institution should ensure that uniform grading of students work, which been agreed to be all Polytechnics, adopted.

D. The Institution based Supervisor

This institution-based supervisor should initial the logbook during each visit. This will enable him to check and determine to what extent the objectives of the scheme are being met and to assist students having any problems regarding the specific assignments given to them by their industry-based supervisor.

E. Frequency of Visit

Institution should ensure than students placed on attachment are visited within one month of their placement. Other shall be arranged so that:

1. There is another visit six weeks after the first visit; and

2. A final visit in the last month of the attachment.

F. Stipend for Students in SIWES

The rate of stipend payable shall be determined from time to time by the Federal Government after due consultation with the Federal ministry of education, the Industrial Training Fund and the NBTE.

G. SIWES as A Component of the Curriculum

The completion of SIWES is important in the final determination of whether the student is successful in the programme or not. Failure in the SIWES is an indication that the student has not shown sufficient interest in the field or has no potentials to become a skilled technician in his field. The SIWES should be graded also on credit unit system. Where a student has satisfied all other requirements but failed SIWES, he may only be allowed to repeat another four months SIWES at his own expense.

H. Log Book

The candidates are expected to update and keep a personal logbook. This will contain daily and weekly summary of curricular activities carried out by the students for each semester. The ND programme coordinator of the department will supervise the assessment and evaluation of the logbook.

3.0 DEPARTMENT’S ACADEMIC POLICY AND REGULATION

The academic policy of Computer Engineering Technology is based on the existing standards of the NBTE which aims at achieving uniformity in all Polytechnics in the country. The form of curriculum organization whereby the syllabus in a particular program of study are divided into courses in prescribed sections of teaching and study, each of which is separately examined and assessed.

The course credit system seeks to avoid package repetition or instructional components earlier assessed, as passed, and which may on the other hand improve performance in the instructional components earlier assessed as failed.

This will provide specification in the work loads by enabling more precise specification of the different required components and the ancillary courses of various instructional programs.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

(i) “Session” means an academic year as determined by the academic Board which shall normally be of two semesters.

(ii) “Semester” means a period of about 18 weeks including 15 contact weeks.

(iii) “Contact Hours” is defined as the period of classroom, laboratory, workshop, or field work interaction between a tutor and students for academic instruction

(iv) “Compulsory course” is a course that must be taken and passed in a particular week per semester.

(v) “Elective courses” are optional courses that once chosen would have to be passed.

(vi) “Examination” means a formal written, spoken or practical text.

(vii) “Grade Point (GP)” is derived from the actual percentage low score given score, the score is then converted into a letter grade and a grade point.

(viii) “Grade Point Average (GPA)” is the ratio of the total credit points calculated by multiplying the course grade point by the semester hour value of the course.

(ix) “Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)” is the ratio of the total numbers of the semester hours for the present words, it is the up to date means of the grade indicates the student’s over all training programme.

CURRICULUM STRUCTURE

ND PROGRAMME

The structure of the ND programme consists of four semesters of classroom, laboratory, field and workshop activities in the college and a semester of student industrial working experience scheme. Each semester shall be of seventeen (17) weeks duration made up as follows:

• 15 contact weeks of teaching i.e. lecture, recitation and practical exercise, etc and
• 2 weeks for test, quizzes, examinations and registration. SIWES shall take place at the end of the second semester of the first year for the ND programme.

CONDITIONS FOR THE AWARD OF THE NATIONAL DIPLOMA

The Polytechnic will award the National Diploma to candidates who successfully completed the programme after passing prescribed course work, examination, diploma project and the supervised Students’ Industrial Work Experience. Such candidates should have completed a minimum of between 65-75 semester credit units depending on the programme.

CURRICULUM TABLE

This includes a list of all the courses that will be registered for and taken during the four semesters of the National Diploma course.

ND I: SEMESTER 1

ND 1: SEMESTER 2

ND 2: SEMESTER 1

ND 2: SEMESTER 2

4.0 METHODS FOR AND ILLUSTRATION OF STUDENTS OVERALL PERFORMANCE

Grade Point (GP)

Grade point is obtained by multiplying the credit hours assigned to a particular course by the points obtained in the examination of that course. For example, if property law carries 4 credits and a student obtained 80% which is 4 points, his grade for Property Law will be 4×4 = 16.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The overall performance of each student shall be determined by means of grade point average obtained by awarding credit points in respect of each course on the multiplied by the numerical value of the grade obtained. The Grade Point Average is then the total number of Grade Points divided by the total number of semester hours. For example, if a student scores 80,50,60, and 40 subjects which carry 3,2,1 and 3 credit hours respectively, his/her GPA will be worked as follows:

Total Credit Hours = 3 + 2 + 1 + 3 = 9

Total Grade Points = 12 + 5 + 3 + 6 = 26.0

GPA = Total Grade Points = 26.0 = 2.89

Total Credit Hours 9

Cumulative Grade Point Average (GCPA)

This is the average of GPA of a student in two or more semesters. For example, if a student has a GPA of 2.62 and 3.00 respectively in the 1st and 2nd semesters respectively, his/her CGPA will be calculated as follows:

CGPA = 1st semester GPA + 2nd semester GPA = 2.62 + 3.00

Number of semesters 2

= 5.62 = 2.81

2

Graduating Grade Point Average (CGPA)

The final or fourth semester examination of the ND or HND programme is regarded as the ND or HND Examination. These exams are externally moderated and weighted 40%. The 3 initial semesters are granted 20% weight each. CGPA is therefore calculated as shown below:

1st GPA = 2.93; 20% of GPA = 0.59

2nd GPA = 2.50; 20% of GPA = 0.50

3rd GPA = 2.50; 20% of GPA = 0.50

4th GPA = 3.09; 40% of GPA = 1.24

CGPA = 0.59 + 0.50 + 0.50 + 1.24 = 2.84

This means the student Graduated with GPA of 2.83 which is a Lower Credit class of National Diploma.

EXAMINATION EVALUATION AND GRADING PROCEDURE

Evaluation Procedure

i. The overall assessment of the student’s performance in each course offered in the semester shall be based on a semester examination written at the end of the semester, together with the continuous assessment of the coursework. Course is defined as the sum total laboratory/workshop/field work/class tests/project work (where applicable) and also assignments during the semester.

ii. The Head of Department is obliged to release the course work in respect of students from his/her department (a copy of which shall be sent to the academic officer for record at least three (3) days to the commencement of the examination.

iii. There shall be a relative weighting of 60% for the semester examination and 40% for the course work distributed as follows:

Assignment (minimum of 2) – 05%

Class tests (minimum of 2) – 15%

Laboratory practice/workshop practice) – 20%

Semester examination – 60%

Total – 100%

iv. Other courses involving no laboratory or workshop practice shall have a relative weighting of 60% for the semester examinations and 40% for the course work distributed as follows:

Assignment (minimum of 2) – 10%

Class tests (minimum of 2) – 30%

Semester examination – 60%

Total – 100%

v. Each class test must be conducted under the same conditions as in semester examination with the students given at least two (2) days notice.

vi. All tests and assignments must be completed at least one week before the commencement of the examination.

Examination Grading System

a) Preliminary National Diploma (Pre-ND) programme

b) National Diploma programmes.

i. Students shall have their performance graded according to the scores they earned, which shall be calculated in the following order.

5.0 CLASSIFICATION OF NATIONAL DIPLOMA CERTIFICATE

Diploma and certificates shall be graded on the basis of the cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and students are expected to pass all subjects in order to qualify for the award of the following classes of Diploma, depending on the CGPA.

Distinction – GPA of 3.50 – 4.00

Upper Credit – GPA of 3.00 – 3.49

Lower Credit – GPA of 2.50 – 2.99

Pass – GPA of 2.00 – 2.49

Fail – GPA of below 2.00

PROBATION

A student who fails to obtain the minimum stipulated GPA of 1.75 at the end of the first semester of academic session shall be placed on probation and he/she shall be so informed in writing by the exams and records office.

REPEAT

A student who fails to obtain a minimum stipulated GPA of 2.00 at the end of the session shall be required to repeat the session and take all the courses thereof. Also student who obtained a GPA of 2.00 with a carry over of more than 4 courses shall be required to repeat the session. A student repeating a session or course(s) shall fulfill all registration formalities as may be specified from time to time.

CARRY OVER

A student who obtains score below 40% or a grade below C shall automatically carry it over to the next commensurate semester without any option for RESIT examination.

WITHDRAWAL

A student who repeats an academic session and still fails below the minimum required Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.00 at the end of that session shall be required to withdraw from the Polytechnic. Such a student shall not be readmitted into the Polytechnic unless after he/she must have spent at least one academic session away, and after he/she applied for and got admission into the Polytechnic.

6.0 GUIDANCE NOTES FOR TEACHERS TEACHING THE PROGRAMME

6.1 The new curriculum is drawn in unit courses. This is in keeping with the provisions of the National policy on education which stress the need to introduce the semester credit units which will enable a student who so wish to transfer the units already completed in an institution of similar standards from which he is transferring.

6.2 In designing the units, the principles of the modular system by the product has been adopted; thus making each of the professional modules, when completed provides the students operatives skills, which can be used for the employment purpose. Also, he can move ahead of post ND studies.

6.3 At the success of the credit units system depends on the articulation of the programme between the institution and industry, the curriculum content has been written in behavioural objectives, so that it is clear to all, the expected performance of the student who successfully completed some of the courses of the programme.

There is slight departure in the presentation of the performance based curriculum which requires the conditions under which the performance are expected to be carried out and the criteria for the acceptable levels of performance. It is a deliberate attempt to further involve the staff of the department teaching the programme to write their own curriculum stating the conditions existing in their Institution under which the performance can take place and to follow that with the criteria for determining an acceptable level of performance. Department submission of the final curriculum may be vetted by the academic board of the institution for ensuring minimum standard and quality of education in the programme offered throughout the polytechnic system.

6.4 The teaching of the theory and practical work should, as much as possible, be integrated. Practical exercise, especially those in professional course and laboratory work should not be taught in isolation from the theory. For each course, there should be a balance of theory practice in the ratio of 50:50 or 60:40 or the reverse.